NE North Dakota News

The University of North Dakota (UND) is set to continue its National Security Speaker Series in Arlington, Virginia. The event will take place at the 2025 Association of Defense Communities National Summit on April 1, featuring UND President Andrew Armacost and U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Adrian L. Spain.

President Armacost will engage in a discussion with Lt. Gen. Spain, who currently serves as the deputy chief of staff for operations for the U.S. Air Force. Lt. Gen. Spain's responsibilities include developing and implementing policy to support global operations, force management, training, and readiness for the Air Force.

This event marks the second installment of the speaker series that began with a session featuring U.S. Air Force Gen. Lori Robinson (ret.) in September 2024. UND's initiative is designed to provide insights into national security issues and align with its broader National Security Initiative, which emphasizes research and training future leaders in the field.

The speaker series is part of UND's ongoing efforts to bolster its position as a leader in national security education. "UND is a leader in national security education through partnerships with the military, local communities and industry, and is playing a key role in producing both cutting-edge research and talented graduates ready to take up roles in the workforce," said Armacost. He expressed excitement about bringing the series to Washington and collaborating with Lt. Gen. Spain to explore the contributions of universities to national defense.

UND is recognized for its aerospace education and has expanded its research into areas related to national security, including uncrewed aircraft systems, space and satellite development, digital engineering, big data, and cybersecurity.

The UND LEADS: Broad Perspectives on National Security Speaker Series takes place both on the UND campus in the fall and in Washington, D.C., in the spring, underlining the university's commitment to engaging with key national security topics.